by Jade Royal
“Bliss, about your father…”
“What about him?” Bliss squeaked.
“He’s still alive. He was behind the kidnapping on Gemma.” Bliss gasped. She felt as if her heart was about to explode from her chest. Her eyes were flashing between human and wolf. Selena hurried to her side and touched Bliss in effort to help heal her. But this was an emotional pain that Selena couldn’t help. Kellan looked at Mira who smiled at him and came over to Bliss. She touched Bliss on the arm effectively taking away the emotional pain Bliss was feeling. Mira could do something else to Bliss but decided against revealing it.
“Thanks, Mira,” Bliss finally spoke. Mira rubbed her back and kept close to Bliss.
“How is he alive?” Bliss asked her mate.
“I don’t know baby. But he’s very much alive. You know how I bit you and changed you into a shifter?”
“Oh no, please don’t tell me he’s not a shifter.”
“No, he’s not a shifter honey. But he’s not human either. Bites aren’t the only thing that can change a human. If clawed deep enough they can be changed. When you ‘killed’ him Bliss, you used your claws. Apparently, that was enough to change him.”
“So, if he’s not a shifter then what the hell is he?” Bliss questioned.
“The universe deemed that he wasn’t worthy enough to be a wolf. So he was changed into the animal that best suited his character. A snake.” Bliss couldn’t even stand anymore. She tilted on her feet as if she was going to pass out. Kellan quickly caught her and lifted her into his arms. He walked to a chair around the dining room table and sat down with her on his lap.
“It’s alright sweetie,” he said kissing her cheek and neck. Selena came over to them and touched Bliss’s stomach.
“The pup is under some stress,” Selena announced.
“I can’t heal him directly because I need to be able to physically touch him. But Bliss’s emotions for the last couple hours is causing him too much distress. He’s weakened.” Bliss held her stomach.
“I’m sorry,” she breathed talking to her pup. Kellan realized that his mate had been around too much negativity. Him having to fight and figure out plans of who were attacking the pack obviously put a strain on Bliss and that was, in turn, causing their pup stress.
“What should we do?” Bliss asked.
“Healing sleep,” Selena informed her.
“The sleep will quiet all your thoughts and remove your stress level and give the pup some chance to soak up the positive energy flowing through your body. I’ll help you get into the sleep.”
“Okay,” Bliss nodded.
“What do we do in the meantime?” Jaxson spoke up.
“There’s still some unfinished business.”
“I want to face my father,” Bliss said immediately.
“I need to face him.” Kellan looked down at his mate. Their pup was weakened, and Bliss herself was stressed, but from the look in her eyes, he knew that this was something she needed to do. He wasn’t going to take that opportunity away from her. His job was to always provide and protect; especially the she-wolves. He was beginning to realize they were just as vital to the pack as any other member. The carnage Kyra had distributed was proof of that. His pack was strong not only because of the men but because of the women.
“We all will face him,” Kellan declared.
“We will wait until both you and Kyra are out of your healing sleeps to return to the lounge. We’re a pack for a reason. We will face our enemies as a unit.”
“But I’m not a fighter like Kyra or-” Selena began. Kellan put his hand up to silence Selena.
“None of that,” Kellan said.
“Fighter or not. You’re part of this pack and you’re important to us.”
“I just don’t want to get in the way,” she replied.
“You won’t. And no one is going to touch you either,” Zander told her. Selena nodded in confidence and smiled at both her brother and then the alpha.
“While Bliss and Kyra are healing; we’ll get this place cleaned up,” Kellan said.
“What of the captives? Should someone go and keep an eye on them?” Jaxson asked. Kellan nodded.
“Zander and Niles you go down to the lounge and keep watch. Do not interact with any of them. Stay outside of the lounge and monitor the activity. Especially for humans.” Both Niles and Zander bowed acknowledging the alpha orders. Once told their directions, Niles realized that he had already been to the lounge. He cursed and shook his head.
“What?” Kellan asked.
“Me and Gemma with her friends went to the lounge already. This dude with a cap approached us after Gemma sang and offered her a job singing at the place. He said his name is Bryson.”
“My father’s name is Bryce,” Bliss spoke up.
“So if the owner of the lounge is your father Bliss; then he knew right away who Gemma was. He was trying to lure her back to the club from the jump.”
“He’s been out there for some time now, plotting and planning,” Kellan said.
“But enough is enough. I’m ending it once and for all.”
With that pledge, Kellan meant serious business. It was time for the Phoenix Pack to make their declarations in the shifter world.
Zander and Niles left the cave promptly to fulfill their orders. While Kellan carried Bliss to their bedroom so she could get into her healing sleep. When she was deep in a sleep; he left her alone with Selena so he could help the rest of the pack clean up the caves. Everyone was quiet as they returned the cave to normal and dumped the bodies of Dell’s pack in the woods and burned them. Once the place was tidied, Rita got busy in the kitchen, preparing a meal for the pack.
She could feel the flutters of her pup inside her even though her belly was just a small curve. Mira was in the kitchen with Rita, but her eyes were constantly following Jaxson. Rita was painfully curious about what the hell was going on between the two wolves.
“So…you like Jaxson?” Rita asked. Mira snapped from her daze and looked at Rita.
“Huh?” Mira acted like she didn’t hear Rita. Rita rolled her eyes.
“You heard me,” Rita scoffed.
“I don’t want to start any rumors or anything like that,” Mira blushed.
“Oh come on. Tell me what’s up.” Mira took a deep breath. She looked at Jaxson, willing him to look at her. He did so, and Mira quickly let him sense her longing for him. He received it and stared at her for a moment before he was able to look away.
“I do like Jaxson,” Mira finally admitted.
“In fact, I more than like him.”
“Meaning?” Rita asked.
“Meaning…he’s my mate,” Mira whispered.
***
Kyra was swimming in Jaxson’s scent. It wrapped around her like a satin bow, caressing her skin in its silkiness. She couldn’t help but moan slightly as her wolf pawed at the sky; playing with the imaginary scent. It must have been imaginary because why would she be surrounded by Jaxson’s scent like this? How could she ever be close to the wolf whose scent drove her crazy like this?
Slowly coming out of her healing sleep even though she didn’t want to; Kyra’s eyes opened. She took a deep breath, and Jaxson’s scent filled her nostrils. She wasn’t dreaming? She was being surrounded by his scent. By his body heat. Kyra looked next to her to see Jaxson’s rising and falling chest. The tattoos across his amazing pectorals put her in a trance. She couldn’t help but lean over and inhale again deeply. His eyes were closed as he slept peacefully. Kyra couldn’t help that her mind took her to another place. She had a flash in her mind of her pleasing his body sexually until he rolled over and fell into a deep sleep next to her. Kyra couldn’t help but reach over and touch his chest. That fantasy quickly snapped away from her the moment she touched him.
Jaxson jumped up so hard he fell out of the bed and hit his head on the oak night table. He cursed out loud and held his head as he tried to scoot away from the bed. Kyra peeked over the bed and smiled.
Damn he was so cute. She giggled as she watched him pop up from the ground. He heard her and looked at her before rolling his eyes.
“Ha, ha, very funny,” he smirked rubbing his head.
“I don’t mean to laugh, but how could I not after that display,” she smiled. Kyra got off the bed and went over to him. She reached up and touched where he’d hit his head. Since he was much taller than her, Kyra got on her tippy toes to kiss his aching head. Jaxson looked at her with calm eyes and a soft smile as she backed off.
“Thanks,” he said with a smile on his soft lips. She felt her cheeks getting warm as she blushed. Clearing her throat, she looked around her bedroom.
“Wait a minute,” she said.
“What are you even doing in here. Much less sleeping next to me in bed?” Jaxson chuckled uneasily as her brows went up at her inquiry. He wanted to come into her room to watch over her as she slept, but then he laid down next to her and well one thing led to the next. How could someone not be lulled to sleep next to her? When she was awake, her scent was the intoxicating part of chocolate. But when she was asleep; it was the comforting hot chocolate that humans loved. He’d never had it before, but he was drooling to taste Kyra because of it.
“Hey,” she snapped her fingers in his face.
“Dude you aight?” she asked giving him a look. Jaxson blinked and took a step back.
“Yeah I’m aight,” he replied.
“I was just thinking.”
“Of what? The lie you’re about to tell me as to why you were sleeping next to me?” she asked. Jaxson smiled at her.
“It’s no big deal that you were asleep, but I do prefer that when a man sleeps next to me its because I milked his dick dry and turned him into a babbling fool before he passes out,” she added. Jaxson’s mouth fell open, and he stared her up and down.
“You’re a freak,” he accused her with a slight smile.
“So?” she smirked.
“Sex is a natural force, once that shifters enjoy a lot. I’m naturally a sexual person, so you know….” she shrugged. Jaxson knew she was a sexual being. She radiated it, but in a very classy way. A way that told a man he would have to earn her trust and prove he was worth having her body before she gave it to them. Jaxson didn’t mind one bit that she was a freaky woman. He was a freaky man.
“Ain’t nothing wrong with that,” he replied.
“But you shouldn’t have said that. Now all I’m thinking about is you milking a dick dry. The image is very…” Jaxson didn’t say the words he wanted to say. He simply just let his voice trail off so she could finish the sentence herself in her head.
“I’m still waiting for you to answer my question,” she tilted her head looking at him. Jaxson thought for sure she had forgotten about that.
“I’m not an easy woman to distract Jaxson,” she said as if she knew what he was thinking.
“Well if you must know; I came in here to watch over you. I laid down and next thing I knew I was asleep,” he shrugged.
“An enforcer that falls asleep on the job?” Kyra teased.
“I’m sure Kellan would love to hear about that.”
“I was here unofficially, snitch,” he laughed. Kyra laughed out loud.
“I guess I should thank you, and Selena of course.” She touched her chest that was completely healed where Selena has extracted the wolfsbane bullet from her body.
“How long I been asleep?” Kyra asked.
“A few hours,” Jaxson replied. He filled her in on who had been attacking the pack.
“I’m ready to finish this,” she stated fiercely.
“Calm down million dollar baby,” he said.
“We’re waiting for Bliss to come out of her healing sleep too. Then we’ll all go and take care of business.”
“Good. I’m happy Kellan doesn’t want to leave us out of this fight. We deserve to face the people who plots against us.” Jaxson stared at her in awe. Most she-wolves wanted the protection of male wolves because they were comfortable that way and grew up with that tradition, but so far the Phoenix pack she-wolves were different on all levels.
“Speaking of fight Kyra; you could have gotten hurt when Dell’s wolves attacked. You should have ran for safety,” he scolded her. She looked him up and down.
“First of all, both my alpha and beta females were pregnant. Vowing to this pack means that in a case of emergency I do what it takes to protect the most vulnerable in the pack. Even if it means dying. Secondly; I don’t fight battles I know I can’t win. You taught me to believe in my strengths, and I did. How can you doubt me after I killed that entire pack?!” She backed away from him hurt.
“I’m not doubting you,” he said intensely. He took her hand and pulled her closer to him. He inhaled deeply. Her chocolate scent making his wolf eyes flicker.
“So then what are you doing?” she whispered.
“I know you’re a fierce wolf and you’re strong as fuck. Me not wanting you to fight doesn’t stem from me thinking that you can’t handle yourself. It simply stems from my fear of losing you. What would I ever do if I lost my cocoa bean?” he questioned. Kyra’s breath hitched. She didn’t have to ask why he called her cocoa bean. She knew well that her scent was laced with chocolate and drove men crazy. Only thing was, she never knew if it was genuine or if they were only driven by their carnal needs. the look in Jaxson’s eyes didn’t seen dishonest whatsoever.
Jaxson didn’t mean for those words to slip from his mouth, but now that they had it was all out in the open. He didn’t know how she was going to react. If she was going to pull away or what, but she stayed in his arms and just gazed at him. With her in his arms, and gazing up at him everything felt so right until a sinking feeling filled his gut. A feeling of guilt and betrayal. Mira’s image flashed in his mind and made him let go of Kyra immediately.
“Are you okay?” Kyra asked him, sensing the change in his demeanor.
“Yeah…sorry. Just a lot on my mind right now. I um…I gotta go do something.”
“Oh. Okay.” Jaxson tried to smile at her but failed miserably as he turned and left. Kyra sat on her bed and crossed her arms. Just as she thought they were having another breakthrough again; he ups and just closes off from her. It left Kyra feeling lost and confused.
Jaxson didn’t know why he had the urge to check on Mira. He’d been doing fine without thinking about her and then all of a sudden the feeling hit him like a Mack truck. He was still very agitated with her for not helping Kyra, so he didn’t know why he was curious to see what she was up to.
Approaching her bedroom door, he heard her soft cries. Unable to help himself he entered without knocking. She sniffed and wiped her face; trying to hide her tears.
“What are you…” her voice trailed off before she just shook her head and looked away from him.
“I heard you crying,” he said.
“What’s wrong?”
“Everything,” she sighed.
“I know you’re pissed at me.”
“I think I made that obvious,” he replied.
“I’m sorry okay?!”
“Sorry? Just sorry? What if Kyra died while you were just sitting there?” He asked.
“I couldn’t help it,” she sobbed.
“Excuse me?”
“We were just attacked!” she exclaimed.
“I spaced the fuck out because I was trying to wrap my mind around everything that was going on! I’m not used to being attacked or facing those kind of problems! That, plus I brought Rita back to life. I was having flashbacks of how it felt to be stripped of my strength. In the moment I dropped the ball. I-I,” she shook her head and began crying again. Jaxson felt his walls of anger beginning to dissipate.
“I’m not a healer Jaxson,” she sniffled.
“Not like Selena. I have the power to give life to those who the universe deems worthy, but I can’t heal someone if they get hurt. They have to die before I can do something about it.”
“I didn’t know that,” Ja
xson said.
“I should have said something, but I was just frantic inside my own mind. I couldn’t think.” Standing by the door, Jaxson had no intentions of getting close to her until her scent traveled to his nose. It was very different from Kyra’s but still; his wolf was allured by it. He didn’t even know his feet had moved until he was sitting next to her.
“Don’t cry,” he whispered.
“I’m sorry I was angry with you not knowing where you were at mentally.” Mira turned and hugged him, crawling into his lap. His first instinct was to throw her off his lap until a second instinct quickly washed over him and told him to continue holding her. She took it to the next step by turning his face towards her and kissing him deeply.
Jaxson felt her lips and felt her tongue. But he felt nothing else. It was just a kiss. He knew it was just a kiss and nothing worth losing his mind over. It was like his body, and his mind were playing tricks on him. It was making him think it was the best kiss he’d ever had when in truth it didn’t even touch the tip of the iceberg when it came to kisses. Deep down he was wondering how Kyra’s lips tasted.
Chapter Five
“When we go out there, we go as a unit,” Kellan spoke as the pack lined up in front of the cave ready to confront Bliss’s father.
“We hold our ranks and if you’re unsure of something do not speak it aloud. That’s why we have the power of mind speak. I don’t want anything making it appear as if we’re weak. Is that understood?”
“Yes,” the pack spoke as one.
“Gemma I need you tied to Bliss’s hip to keep her wolf from trying to emerge. The chances are low because of how near she is to giving birth, and the wolf knows that, but her dad might trigger a rage that will make her wolf unpredictable.” Gemma nodded at her orders.
“Kyra, I want you in ranks with Tristan and Jaxson.” Kyra was shocked at the order. Being in ranks with the enforcers put her in their position. To be an enforcer you had to beat the enforcers of the pack, and she could never beat Tristan or Jaxson in a fight. That was pretty obvious. Still, she nodded and took her orders from her alpha.
“Phoenix pack are you ready?” he asked. The pack howled and clapped; ready to take on their attackers. Kellan shifted first in a burst of power and a howl. One by one, the pack members shifted after each other; the sounds of their bones contorting echoing off the walls. Bliss and Rita remaining in human forms carried the bags with clothes for each member. They climbed onto the backs of their mates before Kellan led the charge to the human town to face their attackers.